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SpaceX says that a big piece of sheet metal that was washed away along a North Carolina beach was part of one of its rockets. The National Park Service said that Elon Musk's company had confirmed the discovery of "rocket material" to the Outer Banks over the weekend, reports the Charlotte Observer newspaper.
Chief Ranger Boone Vandzura told the publication that debris "is handled appropriately". It is still unclear what SpaceX rocket the debris came from and when the launch took place.
A couple discovered a piece of metal 10 feet by 6 feet in a popular tourist attraction Cape Hatteras National Seashore, reports the observer. Park officials said some sections were so heavy that they needed a front loader to remove it from the beach.
This image shows the debris of a SpaceX rocket found along a North Carolina beach.
Angie Chris Langdon
SpaceX did not immediately respond to CBS News' request for comment.
This is the second time this year that parts of a SpaceX rocket have been abandoned at Outer Banks. In October, a 15-foot long rocket was discovered near the village of Hatteras. The Virginian pilot identified it as a protective cone that leaves the rocket at takeoff.
